The Lifestyle Learning Academy is now available to every Lifestyle Express retailer, following a trial involving 40 stores.

The training programme is run in partnership with Bolt Learning and aims to boost store performance through compliance and training.

Lifestyle Learning Academy is available to all Lifestyle Express stores and includes modules on age-related sales, basic health & safety and customer service. Landmark Wholesale plans to add four more modules later this year.

“It will allow all of our retailers and their staff to access a range of essential training modules to help maintain compliance and grow sales,” said Lifestyle Express retail controller Stuart Johnson. “We know that retailers struggle to find the time to train their staff and online training tackles those issues.”

The Lifestyle Learning Academy represents Bolt Learning’s second partnership in the convenience sector, having previously announced a deal with the James Retail Group.

Research from age check compliance experts Serve Legal revealed independent retailers to have the highest failure rate of any type of store selling alcohol, while multiples were the best rates of compliance. According to company co-founder and director Ed Heaver, the gap between the two is often to do with the quality of staff training on compliance.

Heaver  states: “Rigorous, regular testing for age-restricted sales sees compliance levels improve dramatically which reduces the risk of alcohol, tobacco and other harmful products getting into the hands of children.  It should be an integral part of retail training and operational best practice, not a panic purchase after a sting by trading standards or the police.”